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Gang Dong-won, cuts a thrilling figure as a slave-turned-rebel warrior in “Uprising,” the sumptuous period action movie that was the opening gala title of this week’s Busan International Film Festival. The role further cements his reputation as one of Korea’s most versatile and charismatic actors.

But the Korean star is also intent on becoming a film producer and on reprising a stalled Hollywood career.

“’Broker,’ the film which went to Cannes in 2022, was my first producer role. And I’m producing a few other projects, right now,” Gang told Variety. He insists however that he is not turning his back on acting.

“I want to act more. That’s why I’m producing too. I love my job. And started to produce because I have ideas that I want to become projects. For example, I wrote a synopsis two years ago, and a screenwriter is now writing the script. They’re going to shoot it next year. It’s a TV series I wanted to make, involving period, romantic, fantasy action.” 

Gang’s expanding remits appear to fit well with his wider than normal vision of film projects, according to “Uprising” director Kim Sang-man. Kim described Gang as being “able to see the whole project.”

Gang said that his producing projects may have a range of origins, including those he has a hand in writing. “When I started to write, I had been inspired by a female actor. But, after I wrote it, my producer and I realized that this is not for her. So, that is one of the biggest projects at my production company right now. The other one involves remaking a TV series, which I can’t discuss the details of. But that’s two big projects. One is already set up. [For] the other one, we’ve still got to find partners.”

The actor-producer puts Gang in the mold of leading Hollywood stars such as Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, who frequently secure the material that they want to star in and, with their own production outfits, make feature and series projects happen.

Gang is also keen to pick up a stalled Hollywood career and has representation through both CAA and Range Media Partners.

“I was in a project in the U.S. five or six years ago. It didn’t happen, but I spent my time there learning the English language and English-language acting skills for a year, in fact, a year and four months,” Gang told Variety. “In the end, that project didn’t happen, but, still, I was happy to challenge myself, because I want to work with everyone in the world, who is talented.”

“Uprising” will debut on Netflix on Oct. 11.

Written by Patrick Frater

Link: https://variety.com/2024/film/asia/uprising-star-gang-dong-won-producerhollywood-career-1236169179/